Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to disk drive suspensions, and more particularly to disk drive suspensions of the wireless type that use a flexible circuit supported by a rigid portion of a load beam or stiffener. The invention provides bonding legs laterally of the flexure portion of the suspension that are continued extents of the insulative plastic film or laminates of that film and a base layer for purpose of limiting lateral and vertical shock and thus damage. The continued extents turn reversely from the tongue distal end to lie along the tongue edges spaced laterally of and supported beyond the tongue in tongue excursion limiting relation. Stiffness control is achieved as well as a limiter function.
2. Description of the Related Art
Disk drive suspensions previously known tend to be too stiff for small form factor applications, and limiters continue to need improvement in formability and effectiveness.
It is an object of the invention therefore to provide an improved disk drive suspension. It is a further object to provide a disk drive suspension of the wireless type in which the flexible circuit comprising the trace conductors is used to define a flexure. A further object is to tether the flexure tongue laterally of the flexure tongue edges to limit undue tongue travel. Another object is to provide multiple points of attachment for the flexure and its tethers to effect flexure attachment while controlling stiffness to desired values. A further object is the provision of a front-end lifter and stiffener that reduces or eliminates gluing at the flexure trailing edge. Yet another object is the provision of a suspension using copper-based laminate, or other material-based laminates, as the flexible circuit in preference to stainless steel-based laminates.
These and other objects of the invention to appear hereinafter are realized in a disk drive suspension comprising a rigid portion defining a first dimple locus, a flexible circuit supported by the rigid portion, the flexible circuit comprising a plurality of trace conductors and an insulative plastic film, a flexure at the distal end of the rigid portion comprising a tongue and a tongue support, the tongue comprising a section of the insulative plastic film and defining a second dimple locus opposite the first dimple locus, the insulative plastic film having continued extents arranged to tether the tongue and limit tongue travel away from the rigid portion.
In a further embodiment, the invention provides a disk drive suspension comprising a rigid portion defining a dimple, a flexible circuit supported by the rigid portion, the flexible circuit comprising a plurality of trace conductors and an insulative plastic film, a flexure at the distal end of the rigid portion comprising a cantilevered tongue having left and right side edges and connected to a tongue support between the side edges, the tongue comprising a section of the insulative plastic film and defining a dimple locus opposite the dimple, the insulative plastic film being attached to the tongue support and connecting the tongue support and the tongue, the section having a continued extent beyond the tongue, the continued extent comprising a center continued extent leading away from the section and reversely extending left and right side extents spaced respectively from the tongue left and right side edges, the side extents having respective left and right terminal regions, the terminal regions being attached to the rigid portion left and right of the tongue, the side extents limiting tongue travel away from the rigid portion.
In the foregoing and like embodiments, typically, the flexible circuit is also attached to the rigid portion proximally of the flexure section, the flexible circuit is attached to the rigid portion distally of the flexure section, the flexible circuit is also attached to the rigid portion proximally of the flexure section, or a lift-stiffener may be used, the flexible circuit further including a copper metal layer opposite the traces across the film, the tongue is connected to the tongue support between the side edges, and the continued extent comprises a center continued extent leading away from the section, and the left and right side extents extend reversely relative to the center continued extent.
In a further embodiment, the invention provides a disk drive suspension comprising a rigid portion having an elongated body terminating distally in a flexure support frame and a dimple, a flexible circuit comprising a plurality of trace conductors and an insulative plastic film, a flexure supported by the support frame, the flexure comprising a flexure frame having a base and a tongue cantilever-supported by the frame base, the tongue having left and right side edges, the tongue comprising a section of the insulative plastic film and defining a dimple locus opposite the dimple, and left and right reversely turned continued film extents beyond the tongue attached to the support frame inward of the flexure frame to connect the tongue to the support frame in tongue travel limiting relation.
In this and like embodiments, typically, the flexible circuit is also attached to the rigid portion body proximally of the flexure section, the flexible circuit is attached to the rigid portion support frame distally of the flexure section, the flexible circuit is also attached to the rigid portion body proximally of the flexure section, the flexible circuit further including a copper metal layer opposite the traces across the film, the tongue is connected to the tongue support between the side edges, and there is a center continued extent leading away from the section, the left and right side extents extending reversely relative to the center continued extent.
In all embodiments, the invention can include a lifter structure formed at the distal end of the rigid portion, the lifter structure tending to stiffen the rigid portion, the lifter structure extending distally of the rigid portion, and the flexible circuit can be free of attachment to the rigid portion distally of the flexure section.
In certain embodiments, the rigid portion is deflected as needed to have its distal end substantially parallel with an opposing disk.
In certain embodiments, the flexure includes a frame having a distal part extending laterally of the rigid portion, the rigid portion being locally shaped opposite the frame distal part against wearing engagement of the rigid portion with the flexure frame.
The invention further provides a flexure for a disk drive suspension comprising for support by a rigid portion a flexible circuit laminate of a metal layer, a plurality of trace conductors and an insulative plastic film separating the metal layer from the traces, the laminate being arranged into a tongue and a tongue support, the tongue comprising the insulative plastic film and metal layer and defining a dimple locus, the insulative plastic film having continued extents beyond the tongue arranged to limit tongue travel away from the rigid portion.
In another embodiment, there is provided in accordance with the invention, a disk drive suspension comprising a rigid portion defining a first dimple locus, a flexible circuit supported by the rigid portion, the flexible circuit comprising a laminate of a copper-based metal layer, a plurality of trace conductors and an insulative plastic film separating the metal layer from the traces, a flexure at the distal end of the rigid portion comprising a tongue and a tongue support, the tongue comprising the insulative plastic film and metal layer and defining a second dimple locus opposite the first dimple locus, the insulative plastic film having continued extents arranged to limit tongue travel away from the rigid portion.
In yet another embodiment, the invention disk drive suspension comprises a rigid portion defining a first dimple locus, a flexible circuit supported by the rigid portion, the flexible circuit comprising a laminate of a metal layer, a plurality of trace conductors and an insulative plastic film separating the metal layer from the traces, a flexure at the distal end of the rigid portion comprising a tongue and a tongue support, the tongue comprising the insulative plastic film and metal layer and defining a second dimple locus opposite the first dimple locus, the insulative plastic film having continued extents arranged to limit tongue travel away from the rigid portion.
A further embodiment includes a disk drive suspension comprising a rigid portion defining a dimple, a flexible circuit supported by the rigid portion, the flexible circuit comprising a metal layer, a plurality of trace conductors and an insulative plastic film, a flexure at the distal end of the rigid portion comprising a cantilevered tongue having left and right side edges and connected to a tongue support between the side edges, the tongue comprising a section of the metal and insulative plastic film and defining a dimple locus opposite the dimple, the insulative plastic film being attached to the tongue support and connecting the tongue support and the tongue, the section having a continued extent beyond the tongue, the continued extent comprising a center continued extent leading away from the section and reversely extending left and right side extents spaced respectively from the tongue left and right side edges, the side extents having respective left and right terminal regions, the terminal regions being attached to the rigid portion left and right of the tongue, the side extents limiting tongue travel away from the rigid portion.
In these and like embodiments, typically, the flexible circuit is also attached to the rigid portion proximally and optionally distally of the flexure section, the metal layer is a copper metal layer opposite the traces across the film, the tongue is connected to the tongue support between the side edges, and the continued extent comprises a center continued extent leading away from the section, and the left and right side extents extend reversely relative to the center continued extent.
A further embodiment has a disk drive suspension comprising a rigid portion having an elongated body terminating distally in a flexure support frame and a dimple, a flexible circuit comprising a metal layer, plurality of trace conductors and an insulative plastic film therebetween, a flexure supported by the support frame, the flexure comprising a flexure frame having a base and a tongue cantilever-supported by the frame base, the tongue having left and right side edges, the tongue comprising a section of the insulative plastic film and defining a dimple locus opposite the dimple, and left and right reversely turned continued film extents beyond the tongue attached to the support frame inward of the flexure frame to connect the tongue to the support frame in tongue travel limiting relation.
In this and like embodiments, typically, the tongue is connected to the tongue support between the side edges, there is a center continued extent leading away from the section, and the left and right side extents extending reversely relative to the center continued extent.
As in certain of the previous embodiments, typically, there can be included a lifter structure formed at the distal end of the rigid portion, the lifter structure tending to stiffen the rigid portion, the lifter structure extends distally of the rigid portion, and the flexible circuit is free of attachment to the rigid portion distally of the flexure section, the rigid portion is deflected as needed to have its the distal end substantially parallel with an opposing disk, and the flexure includes a frame having a distal part extending laterally of the rigid portion, the rigid portion being locally shaped opposite the frame distal part against interference of the rigid portion with the flexure frame.
Further, typically, in certain embodiments, the flexure frame has a distal part extending laterally of the rigid portion support frame, the rigid portion being locally shaped opposite the frame distal part against interference of the rigid portion with the flexure frame.
In its method aspects the invention contemplates a method of limiting the movement of a flexure tongue relative to a surrounding frame, including maintaining a plastic film layer movable with the tongue, providing an extension of the plastic film beyond the distal perimeter of the tongue and connecting the plastic film extension to the surrounding frame laterally of the tongue and proximally of the tongue distal perimeter.